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Ultimate Christmas Red and Green Gooey Butter Cookies (Made with Cake Mix for Maximum Softness)

Close-up of stacked Christmas gooey butter cookies with a thick, creamy center and red and green sprinkles.
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Make these irresistibly soft, chewy Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies. Using cake mix creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture perfect for holiday cookie exchanges and festive trays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
  • 1/4 cup red and green sprinkles (or nonpareils)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter, and 1 egg. Mix until a soft dough forms.
  3. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan. Set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the second egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until just combined.
  5. Gradually add 1 cup of the powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture, beating until fully incorporated and smooth.
  6. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cake mix base in the pan.
  7. Sprinkle the red and green sprinkles over the cream cheese layer.
  8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set. Do not overbake; the center should remain soft.
  9. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
  10. Once cooled, dust the top generously with the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar.
  11. Cut the cooled bars into squares for your Christmas gooey butter cookies.

Notes

  • For an extra gooey center, slightly underbake by 2 minutes. The cookies will set more as they cool.
  • If you prefer individual cookies instead of bars, drop rounded tablespoons of the base dough onto a prepared sheet, press down slightly, top with the cream cheese mixture, and bake for 12-15 minutes.
  • Use high-quality vanilla and almond extracts for the best flavor in this simple Christmas baking treat.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://hearthbite.com/christmas-gooey-butter-cookies/